Sweden’s Caroline Larsson, one of the top disabled golfers in Europe, is only four shots off the first round lead of South African Daniel Slabbert in the Nedbank SA Disabled Open at Legend Golf Safari Resort. Photo: Carl Fourie
MOOKGOPHONG, Limpopo – Daniel Slabbert overcame six dropped shots in the first three holes to shoot a four-over 76 for the first-round lead of the Nedbank SA Disabled Golf Open at Legend Golf Safari Resort on Monday.
Slabbert, who is hunting a hat-trick of titles in this event, is one shot clear of veteran German Reinhard Friske.
But with this being the strongest field in the history of the event, the leaderboard is very tight after the first round.
Swede Caroline Larsson, the 2012 European Disabled Championship’s women’s champion, is in a group with Iglin Grobbelaar, twice a winner of this event, and Reinard Schuhknecht on eight-over 80. And James Hourigan is well-placed following his round of 81.
But after his start, single leg amputee Slabbert was more than happy with his 76.
“I went triple bogey eight, double bogey six and then bogey five in my first three holes, so I was headed downhill at that time. But the last 15 holes I played better golf,” he said.
His eagle on the par-five ninth certainly gave him some momentum, featuring an eight iron to less than one foot from the hole.
At that point Hourigan, a double leg amputee, was the leader at one over par.
But he went into the back nine and dropped seven shots in four holes.
Yet he remains in contention. “I still feel I can win this thing,” he said.
At only four strokes off the lead, Larsson is expected to mount a strong challenge over the next two days.
The Swede was looking forward to a promising career playing on the Scandinavian Tour and caddying for her sister, Louise, on the Ladies European Tour.
In 2011, while in Christchurch with her sister for the New Zealand Open, they were caught in the earthquake that devastated the city. They fled the restaurant they were in as it was collapsing, and returned unharmed.
But then Larsson was diagnosed with cancer and had to have her right leg amputated above the knee.
She has since become a force in European disabled golf, and is hoping an improvement in her putting can see her challenge here over the next two rounds.
“I made one really long putt for a birdie on the 15th, and my driving was really good. But I need to putt better to really stand a chance over the next two days,” she said.
Leading Scores:
76 – Daniel Slabbert (SA)
77 – Reinhard Friske (GER)
80 – Reinard Schuhknecht (SA), Igling Grobbelaar (SA), Caroline Larsson (SWE)
81 – James Hourigan (IRE)
